Did Israel Eliminate Iran's Wartime Chief and Khamenei's Close Aide?

Tel Aviv, June 17 (NationPress) The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) declared on Tuesday that they successfully eliminated Ali Shadmani, the wartime chief of staff for Iran and a close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a covert nighttime operation.

According to the IDF, "Based on precise intelligence from our Intelligence Branch and a timely opportunity, our Air Force fighter jets targeted a command center in the heart of Tehran, resulting in the death of Ali Shadmani, the Chief of War Staff and the most senior military figure closest to Iranian leader Ali Khamenei," as stated in a post on X.

This marks the second instance in recent weeks where Israel has aimed to disrupt Iran's military hierarchy by eliminating a high-ranking commander.

The Israeli military reported that Shadmani held crucial roles, including Chief of War Staff and Commander of the Armed Forces Emergency Command, overseeing both the Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian army.

Before his appointment, Shadmani was the deputy commander of the Hatem Al-Anbiya Emergency Command and led the Operations Department of the Armed Forces General Staff. His assassination adds to a series of high-profile kills within Iran's military command structure, delivering another significant blow to the Iranian armed forces' chain of command.

The IDF emphasized that the Khatem al-Anbiya emergency command, which Shadmani led, was pivotal in managing combat operations and sanctioning Iranian fire plans.

In his various capacities, the military noted that Shadmani "directly influenced" Iranian fire strategies aimed against Israel.

Shadmani recently took over from Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed during Israel's 'Operation Rising Lion,' a targeted campaign aimed at mitigating the Iranian nuclear threat to Israel's very existence.

"In light of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid's martyrdom due to the heinous actions of the Zionist regime, and given Major General Ali Shadmani's commendable service and extensive experience, I promote him to Major General and appoint him as Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central HQ," Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei announced on X.

Earlier that day, Israel also confirmed the destruction of multiple surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missile launchers belonging to the Iranian regime, as hostilities between the two nations intensified.

"Numerous infrastructures for storing and launching both surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missile launchers of the Iranian regime were obliterated. Last night, our Air Force executed several waves of strikes against multiple Iranian military targets in western Iran. This operation included attacks on storage facilities for UAVs and missile launchers in the area," the Israel Defence Force (IDF) reported on X.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has now entered its fifth day, with hostilities continuing as numerous missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel, triggering air raid alerts in Haifa and several other cities across northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, as confirmed by the Israeli military.